It was a good night for Spain, which not only swept the major awards but whose La Liga provided every single member of the FIFA FIFPro World XI following a poll of 50, 00 professional players from all over the world.

CNN: Messi crowned world's best for record fourth time

Martin Morgan-Taylor, board member of the International Dark-Sky Association, the US based organisation which awards the status, said the gradual loss of the view of the night sky was a loss of part of culture.

BBC: Brecon Beacons National Park wins dark sky status

In their absence, recent pay awards have been lower in Germany than elsewhere, says Peter Bofinger, a member of the government's committee of economic wise men.

ECONOMIST: Pay in Germany

As for the other two proposals, on giving investors the formal power to block pay awards and on forcing the remuneration committee to have a workforce rep as a voting member, goodness only knows whether they will be enacted or squished.

BBC: What Clegg meant by 'getting tough' on bosses pay

Linda Pollard, board member for regional development agency Yorkshire Forward, said in addition to the expected boost in tourism, the awards acted as a catalyst to access new markets.

BBC: Nearly 500 million people are expected to watch the awards